Soldier Life during the War

Michigan Civil War soldiers

Drafts and Exemptions

White men represented the primary source of recruits, and men in all states resented the draft, which had been imposed in an amended fashion in the North. States were given quotas, and had to do what they could to fill them, including paying bonuses. Resentment focused on wealthy men; northerners who could afford to do so hired substitutes, while southerners who owned a large number of slaves were exempt from the draft. Resistance in the North sometimes took the form of public protests, and particularly violent draft riots in New York in the summer of 1863 forced Lincoln to send troops to restore order. Dissent in the South was more covert, and desperate, but met with no less deadly responses. Soldiers hanged or shot many of those who opposed the Confederacy in almost every southern state. With such efforts, the Confederacy mobilized perhaps 80 percent of its eligible male population for military service, while about half of the Northern military age population joined some branch of the service. As the war dragged on, both the North and South would turn to women and African-Americans to support the war effort.

Uniforms

soldiers

Although Union soldiers are generally associated with the color blue, and Confederates are remembered in gray, these color distinctions were not quite so clear-cut during the years of the Civil War. At the beginning stages, Union troops wore gray while many Confederates sported the color blue—in fact both armies could be seen in a wide array of colors like yellow, green, black, red or even orange. Confusion on the battlefield led Union troops to settle on the color blue instead of gray. While Confederates usually donned gray homespun uniforms, cheap dyes on Confederate-issued clothing resulted in the commonly worn yellowish-brown hue that came to be known as “butternut.” Both armies experienced initial delays issuing uniforms because of contracts between their governments and manufacturers. At the war’s beginning soldiers from both sides received clothing chiefly from women’s sewing groups. Even after official uniforms were issued, quality and supplies were low. Soldiers continued to receive replacements for worn out clothing from their families. Keeping good shoes was the most serious clothing problem for soldiers—many marched and fought barefoot, leaving trails of blood behind them.

Food

Log hut company kitchen, 1864

Civil War soldiers were issued rations of food, the amount of which reflected the availability of supplies. Union and Confederate soldiers typically received corn, beans, vegetables, and a type of meat, usually salted pork or beef, although mule meat is known to have been consumed in desperate circumstances. Some type of bread or meal was also issued to soldiers. “Hardtack,”—a name for very hard wheat crackers—has been generally associated with Union troops while Confederates consumed large quantities of coarse cornbread. Food preparation was provided by both armies, but soldiers often found themselves developing their own recipes and cooking methods. Union troops concocted a mixture of hardtack and salt pork that they called “lobscouse,” while Confederates made a stew of bacon grease, flour and water referred to as “cush.” Union lines were generally more well-fed than their Confederate counterparts, but shortages took place in both armies. For the North, inefficient administration sometimes delayed the delivery of needed food stores, causing Union soldiers to go hungry while food was plentiful. Confederates dealt with a similar problem of hunger amidst plenty due to the shortages of packaging materials for distribution and preservatives such as salt. Coffee was an important food item for both armies. Union soldiers were able to enjoy coffee at their leisure. At one point, the Federal government tried a type of instant coffee that resembled axle grease but when Union soldiers refused to drink it, it was withdrawn. Because of shortages, Confederate troops were no longer issued coffee after the first year of fighting. They resorted to coffee substitutes, which meant the brewing of dried peanuts, potatoes, peas, corn or apples. Food supplies were often inadequately preserved—maggots and worms were a common, if unwanted, garnish to a soldier’s meal.

Health

soldiers in the trenches

In addition to the risks of the battlefield, soldiers in the Civil War consistently faced the dangers of disease. More troops died of diarrhea and dysentery than were killed in battle. Contaminated food and water supplies, cramped and unsanitary conditions combined to increase the risk and spread of disease. The inadequacy of clothing, shelter, and food was also a factor. Among Union troops, African Americans were more likely to get sick and died from diseases more often. Lice, measles, and malaria were common in Confederate camps. Most regiments in both armies saw some infection of venereal diseases like syphilis and gonorrhea. Ailing soldiers were treated with a variety of methods including the administering of whiskey, quinine, or mercury. Wounded soldiers experienced serious suffering. When a battle was sure to take place, field hospitals would be set up, and patients brought in as the fighting wore on. Mortality from wounds was high. The most seriously injured soldiers would be sent in an ambulance (covered wagon) to the nearest city’s hospital. Operations were extremely painful because of the shortage of pain-dulling opiates and the dullness of surgical tools. American medicine was undeveloped at this time, and while doctors and surgeons generally meant well, they worked with unclean instruments, hands, and bandages.

Arms

Columbiad guns of the Confederate water battery at Warrington, Fla. (entrance to Pensacola Bay), February 1861

The Civil War saw developments in firearms that were reflected by Union and Confederate soldiers. As with other supplies needed by troops, the distribution of firearms was poor in the beginning for the Confederacy. Soldiers could be seen carrying shotguns, sporting rifles, remodeled squirrel guns, and old guns from the War of 1812. Huge numbers of men volunteered for service and had to wait to be armed before they could fight. Contracts between the Confederacy and companies for the manufacture of guns delayed their supply. Some states that had ample stores of firearms were reluctant to share with soldiers from other states. Most Confederate soldiers began the war with .69-caliber smoothbore muskets loaded with a round ball, or with what was called “buck and ball”—three buckshot behind a regular size ball. The short range of these guns meant that an enemy soldier further than 100 yards away was unlikely to be harmed by the fire—and knew it. Confederates usually abandoned their arms for the superior guns left by dead Federal troops. Union soldiers had better arms, and were equipped with newer rifle muskets, which used a hollow conical bullet called a Minie ball, named after its French inventor. Once the war was well underway, the most common guns for both armies were the .577-caliber long Enfield rifle musket and the .58-caliber Springfield rifle musket. Union cavalrymen often carried Colt six-shooters, while Confederate mounted soldiers could be seen with short double-barreled shotguns loaded with buckshot. These soldiers sometimes acquired sabers, but were usually more comfortable with a gun. Southern soldiers were often armed with the additional weapons of bowie knives and pikes.

Diversions

Civil War soldiers were not always fighting. Marching and camping were their main duties, and the long winter months saw little in the way of combat. Troops kept busy by reading and writing letters, and sharing newspapers. Some Union soldiers even organized literary associations. Music was an important camp diversion. Soldiers sang songs about the war and the enemy, often accompanied by musical instruments such as violins and guitars. Bands were often organized, and Northern and Southern publishers printed song books with the hope that the tunes within would catch on. A favorite song of the Federals was “John Brown’s Body,” while the Confederates were particularly fond of “Home, Sweet Home.” Sporting activities were popular during down-time. Confederate soldiers played games like baseball, while Union troops were known to have had organized snowball fights complete with charges, and the capturing of prisoners. Hot, summer days in the South saw soldiers from both armies swimming in streams and lakes. Checkers, cards, dominos, or pranks were other common ways in which soldiers passed the time.